Interchangeable heels for shoes



June 26, 1962 J. GALLARDO INTERCHANGEABLE HEELS FOR SHOES Filed Feb. 6, 1961 INVENTOR JUAN GALLARDO BY AIIORNE Y.

United States Patent 3,040,453 INTERCHANGEABLE HEELS FOR SHOES Juan Gallardo, 768 Fox St., Bronx 55, N.Y. Filed Feb. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 87,354 2 Claims. (Cl. 36-36) This invention concerns a replaceable shoe heel.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a shoe heel secured to a frame, which frame can be slipped on and oif the rear end of the outer welt of a shoe, and can be detachably secured thereto.

A further object is to provide as an article of manufacture a shoe heel and mounting frame assembly.

According to the invention there is provided a means whereby anyone without any particular skill and with no special tools other than a screwdriver or hammer can replace a shoe-heel. The invention is based on a frame or shell having the outline of a heel. The frame has an annular lip which engages over the welt of the shoe. The frame is then nailed or screwed in place. Spacers may be provided to take up slack in the event the welt is thinner than the frame.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a shoe with a shoe heel assembly embodying the invention mounted thereon.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the shoe heel assembly per se.

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the shoe heel assembly.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of components of the shoe heel assembly.

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, there is shown a heel assembly including a flat rubber heel 11 secured by a layer of cement 12 to the fiat bottom wall 14 of a frame 15. This frame has an upstanding U-shaped side wall 16 formed at its upper edge with an inturned lip 18. This lip engages on the top edge of a welt 20 of shoe 22 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In order to insure a snug fit, one or more resilient fibrous spacer plates 24 may be inserted between the upper side of wall 14 and the bottom of the shoe sole 26 at its rear end. Holes 25 are provided at the free ends of wall 16 and at the center of its bight end. Screws or nails 30 may be inserted through these holes into the rear end of the full sole 26 of the shoe to secure the heel assembly 10 thereon. The heel assembly is mounted on the shoe 22 by inserting the rear end of the sole 26 into the frame with lip- 18 overlaying the welt 20. Then the nails or screws 30 are applied. When desired, by merely removing the nails or screws,

the assembly can be removed for replacement with another heel.

The invention permits anyone, even a child, to replace a worn shoe heel since it is only necessary to remove the nails or screws 30, slip off the old heel assembly and insert the new one. The frame 15 may be made of metal or plastic material. The frame will preferably be attached to the heel 11, bythe manufacturer of the assembly. If desired, the frame can be sold separately so that consumers can attach their own heels. If desired, the heel can be removed from the frame and a new heel attached by a reapplication of cement 12.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modification may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A shoe attachment, comprising a frame having a one-piece flat bottom wall and an integral upstanding U-shaped wall, said U-shaped wall having an inturned lip engageable with the welt of a shoe, the bottom wall underlying the rear end of the full sole of a shoe, a resilient spacer member overlying said bottom wall to take up space between said sole and said bottom wall, and a heel secured to the underside of said fiat bottom wall in registration therewith, said U-shaped wall having holes for receiving fastener elements to hold the frame on and prevent the frame from slipping off of the sole.

2. A shoe attachment, comprising a frame having a one-piece flat bottom wall and an integralupstanding U-shaped wall, said U-shaped wall having an inturned lip engageable with the welt of a shoe, the bottom wall underlying the rear end of the full sole of a shoe, a resilient spacer member overlying said bottom Wall to take up space between said sole and said bottom wall, and a heel secured to the underside of said flat bottom wall in registration therewith, said 'U-shaped wall having holes for receiving fastener elements to hold the frame on and prevent the frame from slipping off of the sole, said bottom wall being in the form of a U-shaped flange with holes to receive nails for securing the heel to the flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,642,991 Fowler Sept. 20, 1927 1,778,953 McNamara Oct. 21, 1930 1,920,170 Brockman Aug. 1, 1933 2,290,445 Oleyar July 21, 1942 2,454,228 Smith Nov. 16, 1948 2,468,918 Bowers May 3, 1949 2,542,078 Gilmour Feb. 20, 1951 2,806,302 Sharpe Sept. 17, 1957 2,835,054 Martin May 20, 1958 

